An indwelling urethral catheter is commonplace in hospitals, nursing homes, and various other patient environments. A catheter is a drainage tube placed through the urethra into the bladder. It is utilized for bladder drainage, urinary retention, post-surgery and numerous other scenarios. A catheter is maintained in position by an inflatable balloon at its tip within the urinary bladder of the patient.
Patients in whom these catheters are utilized may be elderly, debilitated, confused or combative. Hence, they may try to pull out the catheter with the inflatable balloon within the bladder resulting in the catheter trauma scenario. This causes prostate and urethra injury requiring immediate intervention; thereafter, pain and infection may ensue. Delayed stricture or scarring may result, also requiring operative means. These sequelae increase patient morbidity.
Most instruments which maintain a catheter in place, are based on taping or tying the instrument to the patient by conventional means, i.e. tape or string. These instruments have been ineffective based on their limited strength, discomfort and inability to accommodate movements of the patients.
A need exists for a simple inexpensive instrument that uses the movements of the patients to counteract removal of the catheter.
The Male Catheter Securing Device of the present invention secures a catheter to the patient""s penis when force is applied to remove the device, preventing the aforementioned trauma. The more longitudinal force or force tending to remove the catheter that is applied to catheter, the tighter the catheter is maintained in position based on the device design. When the outward force is alleviated, so is the tightness with which the catheter is held in position.
The device is comprised of a cylindrical sleeve portion comprised of (preferably) helical strands or rushes. The device is secured to the body of the patient by variety of means including hook-and-pile fastener straps, belts and ties attached to the cylindrical sleeve portion. The helical strands are resilient and non-elastic and comprised of a number of materials, such as nylon, cotton, synthetic polymer or any other type of mill material that will accomplish the results set forth herein.
The device is attached to the patient by back loading the device over the penis with a catheter inserted therein. The hook-and-pile fastener strap or other type of strap, located at the base of the proximal end of the sleeve portion, produces a snug fit at the penile base. An adjustable belt is also located at the proximal end of the sleeve portion, configured to go around the patient""s waist and under both legs for added security of the device. Ties are located at the distal (outer) end of the sleeve portion that are tied, taped or otherwise secured to or around the indwelling catheter.
The device functions similar to xe2x80x9cChinese handcuffsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cfinger-trapsxe2x80x9d, wherein a finger is inserted into each end of the xe2x80x9cChinese handcuffsxe2x80x9d and when pulled in opposite directions the cylinder would tighten; i.e. the diameter of the cylinder is reduced. Likewise, if the catheter is traumatically pulled, the device""s diameter decreases, clamping down (constricting) on the penis, securing the catheter in position. Fundamentally, the strands which form the cylindrical sleeve portion invention are constricted when pulled. This keeps the catheter relatively immobilized, fixing it in position with regard to the urethra. Greater force to remove the invention further tightens the invention in position. Additionally, the device surrounds the penis, providing a cage effect, which protects the penis and tends to resist a patient from grasping the penis.
An object of the invention is to provide a device which will prevent trauma to the urinary tract of a patient.
Another object of the invention is to be economical and disposable.